Pipe puller



March 1931- F. G. CARRINGTON 1,796,703

PIPE FULLER Filed July 6, 1927 F 6. OWE/award Patented Mar. 17, 1931UMTEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK G. GARRINGTON, ANNISTON, ALABAMA,ASSIGNOR TO FERRIC ENGINEER- ING COMPANY, OFANNISTON, ALABAMA, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE PIPE FULLER Application filed July 6, 1927.Serial No. 203,833.

This invention relates to a centrifugal casting apparatus and moreparticularly refers to a device for extracting a cast pipe from a mold.

Most of the pipe pullers heretofore used have required a cessation inthe spinning of the mold. It is extremelv desirable that the moldcontinue its rotation throughout a working period. The molds aresubjected to an uneven cooling circumferentially, which, if the moldsare stationary, results in their warpage. However, if the moldisconstantly rotated, each circumferential segment of the mold issubjected to the same cooling as every other segment, and there isconsequently no greater expansion atone point on the molds peripherythan at any other.

Those pullers that may be operated while the mold is rotating contactwith the castingat only one point on the circumference. As

the casting cools there is an attendant shrink age, which causes thepipe to rest on the bottom of the mold. Such pullers have consisted inan arm that extends within the mold and raises the casting from the baseof the mold. When the casting is thus freed from contact with the mold,the arm may be withdrawn, or

the mold moved away from the castin It is obvious that a puller of thistype afiords an insecure engagement with the casting.

None of the devices heretofore used for the extraction of a cast pipehave made provision for warpage of the mold mentioned above. Thiswarpage causes a gyration of a rotating mold, and, in the absence ofappropriate provision, materially diminishes the efficiency of thepuller. This gyration of the mold and casting calls for a flexible jointin the pulling arrangement in order that the puller may gyrate with themold without loosening. Provision is also required for an evendistribution of force on the circumfen ence of the pipe. Without thisthere will be economical of construction and subject to facileoperation, that engages a casting at more than one point on itscircumference.

A further object is to provide a puller that is capable of grasping andextracting a pipe without ceasing rotation of the mold.

A. still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forremoving a cast pipe from a warped mold.

To accomplish the above objects, and others equally important as willappear herein, my invention in general comprises a flexibly mountedsupport member, members integral with the support member adapted tocontact with a cast pipe, and means to permit a misalignment of the axesof the mold and pulling apparatus. a i

For the purpose of better illustrating my invention, but wishing it tobe clearly understood that it is susceptible to various modifications instructure and details without exceeding the scope of the appendedclaims, reference is made to the accompanying drawlngs in which similarnumerals indicate the same parts.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal view in section of a mold, casting and core,and an elevational view of a pipe pulling apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view along the line 22 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view along the line 33 of Figure 1 looking in the directionof the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a pipe engaging member, showing its mountingupon the support member.

I have shown in Figure 1 a mold 1 suitably mounted for rotation by meansnot shown in the drawings. \Vhile this mold is provided with a bell, itis to be noted that my invention maybe employed with equal efficiencywith a mold of the plain type. Inserted in the mold is a head core 2,which is held in position by suitable fastening means not shown. Thecore fasteners should be adapted to be removed while the mold isrotating. If the mold is not of the belled type, a plain end ring, orcore, is employed.

Molten metal is poured in the mold while rotating, and, uponsolidification, :forms a pipe 3. This pipe at the bell end of the moldtakes the form on its outer periphery of that portion of the mold, andon the inside takes the shape of a shouldered portion 4 of the core 2.An annular protuberance 5 on the shoulde'r'of the core prevents alongitudinal movement of the bell end of the casting with respect to themold.

As the molten metal cools there is a shrinkage inthe casting. By reasonof" the shape of the bell'end'of the mold, and'the shoulder of the core,the bell end of the pipe remains stationary, and the shrinkage is takenup at the opposite end 6 of the casting. There therefore is left a space7 between the plain end of the casting and the plain end of the mold.Even should a plain end mold be em-' ployed, thereis' a shrinkagewhichcreates a space between the ends of the casting and the mold, either atone end or the other,'or perhaps at both ends. a i

The casting is removed by clamping'on the face ofthe casting a grippingdevice, and

either pulling the device from the mold, or

al lowing'the device to remain stationary and moving the mold away fromit.

The pipe pulling apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings comprisesa support member or rod 8'of sufhc'ient length to extend in the mold;Mounted'on one end of the rod 8 is a block 9 secured to the rod by meansof a screw or other suitable means 10 as shown in Figure 4.

Also set in the block}? are resilient members 12 These are secured inthe block by lugs 11 shown in Figure 4, or other suitable While I haveshown two such re-' means. 811181113" members, it is tobe understoodthat a greater number may be employed The resilient members have atendency tospring outwardly. As shown in Figures 1 and 4c, the members12 are tapered, both in thickness and width, toward their seat in theblock 9;

On the free end oft-he resilient members 12 are lips 13 integral withthe members. These lips taper from the members 12, as more clearly shown"in Fig. 1,: which facilitates their gripping the casting. 'Even thoughthere is aslight shrinkage, and there afgrip on. the end of the casting.Ais the casting' i-s withdrawn-, affording a larger space, thelips then;further extend across the casting until stopped by the outer surface ofthe members 12, and thus the entire contact surface of the: lip is inengagement with that the" free end of the" lips are rounded,

describing an arc o'fiazcircle that is concentric with. the diameter ofthe pipe. This also insures a maximum gripping surface for the lips.

On the end of the'rod '8 remote from the block is a rotatable joint 14comprising a casing 16 in which the rod is set, and rotatably secured inthe 'casinga member 17 in which the-cable 15 is held. The joint 14permits a rotation of the rod 8 with the casting, while the cable 15remains rotatably stationary.- The cable 15, is wound upon a drum 18providedwithend plates 19 to prevent the cable from slipping off of thedrum. The end plates 19 are'securely mounted upon a shaft 21,-:whi-chprovide the rotative force to the drum. The rod 8 and cable 15 should beof considerable length to insure a more nearly uniform pull on thetwoarms 1'2, and also to reduce the angular movement of the cable, whenthe mold is warped.

VVhi'le I have shown a' casting apparatus in which the'mold remainsstationary while the pulling device is withdrawn therefrom it is obviousthat the cable 15 might be sepressed together'only until the lips havepassed within the outsidefacing of the core 2, after which, the membersmay be allowed to spring apart. Although the lipswill bear upon the coreand casting when'sprung, if the. metal has sufiiciently hardened theymay be pushed to the remote endwithout scratching the inner surfaces ofthe core or casting. The; resilient property of the memhere 12 should besuch that there will always be a tendency for them to spring apart, butshould not be so marked as; to dig into the core or metal, or even tosuch an extent as'to material ly impede the movement-of the device fromthe bell to the plain end.

. Therod 8-is further inserted until the lips 13}have reached the plainand of the casting. At that time they will spring further apart and restin the cavity 7. When a proper force is exerted on the rod- 8, the lips13, engaging asthey do the face of the cast-- ing, pull the'pipe andcore from the mold.

As above stated, either the cable may be wound upon the drum or the moldmay be moved axially. 7 During the whole process the mold continuestorotateateither the same, or reduced, speed; The joint 14 permits thepuller to rotate with the mold while the cable 15 remains rotatablystationary.

While I have shown the preferred embod- 1 iment of my invention, it isapparent that many alterations may be made in the structure herein shownand described without departing from the scope and spirit of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of casting pipe comprising pouring metal in a rotating mold,inserting in the mold a pipe puller, effecting engagement between theplain end face of the cast pipe and the puller, and withdrawing the pipewhile the mold is rotating.

2. A method of centrifugally casting pipe comprising pouring metal in arotating mold, inserting in the mold a pipe puller, engaging the pullerwith the plain end face of the pipe, and withdrawing the pipe, bell endfirst while rotating the mold.

3. A method of casting pipe comprising pouring metal into a mold,retaining one end of the casting in fixed relation to the mold to causethe other end to separate from the mold upon shrinking of the casting,engaging a member with the end of the casting separated from the mold,and withdrawing the casting.

4. In a centrifugal casting apparatus having a rotating mold, a corefixed at one end of the mold and means for engaging a casting forpreventing longitudinal movement thereof, a device having resilientlymounted lips adapted to engage the other end of the casting and means towithdraw the device and the casting from the mold.

5. A device for removing pipe from a mold comprising a support member,means to engage an end face of the pipe while the mold is rotating, andmeans for removing the member and pipe from the mold.

6. A pipe puller for removing pipe from a mold comprising a supportmember, means carried by the support member for engaging the spigot endface of the pipe while the mold is rotating, and draft means for pullingthe member and pipe from the mold.

7. A pipe puller comprising a support member, resilient means carriedthereby to engage the end face of the pipe, and draft means attached tothe support member.

8. A pipe puller comprising a support member, resilient means carried bythe support member to engage the spigot end face of the pipe, and meansconnected with the support member for pulling the member and pipe from amold.

9. A pipe puller comprlsmg a support member, resilient means carried bythe support member, and engaging elements carried by said resilientmeans for engaging an end face of the pipe, and draft means attached tosaid support member.

10. A pipe puller comprising a body portion, resilient arms carried bysaid body portion, the free ends of which are normally spaced apart adistance greater than the internal diameter of a ipe to be removed froma mold, means on t e free ends of said resilient end means to engage theend portion of the pipe.

11. A pipe puller comprising a support member, draft means connected tosaid support member, and means carried by the support member to grip thepipe at the end remote from the end at which the pipe puller isinserted.

12. A pipe puller comprising a support member, means adapted to engagethe spigot end face of the pipe, means integral with the engaging meansfor mounting the same on the support member, and means for withc drawingthe support member and pipe from a mold.

13. A pipe puller comprising a support member, a block mounted on oneend of the support member, outwardly projecting resilient members seatedin the block, lips on the free ends of the resilient members, andtractive means connected with said support member.

14. A pipe pulling device comprising pipe engaging dogs resilientlymounted, adapted to grip the end face of the pipe, and tractive meansconnected with the dogs for pulling the pipe.

15. A pipe puller comprising a support member, spring-like members onthe support member, lips on the ends of the spring-like members adaptedto engage an end face of the pipe, and flexible draft means attached tothe support member.

16. A pipe puller comprising a draft bar, flexible arms on the end ofsaid bar, lips on the ends of said arms adapted to engage an end face ofa pipe.

17. A device for removing pipe from a mold comprising a rod insertablein the mold, arms carried by the rod, said arms having their ends shapedto permit them to be easily inserted within the pipe, barbs formed onthe ends of the arms adapted to engage the end face of the pipe, andmeans for withdrawing the device and pipe from the mold.

18. A pipe puller comprising a support member, resilient means carriedthereby to engage the end face of the pipe, and draft means swivellyattached to the support member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK Gr. OARRINGTON.

